PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu is still in-charge of State affairs and there is therefore no power vacuum as is being insinuated by some opposition political leaders, the presidency has stated.

All institutions of governance are working and insinuations that there was a power vacuum following the petitioning of the outcome August 11 general election were nothing but an attempt to mislead the nation.

Addressing journalists at State House yesterday, Mr Chanda said that President Lungu as an incumbent president and at the same time President-elect as declared by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was still enjoying the status of a Head of State and was still the Commander In-Chief of the armed forces.

Mr Chanda said that all Government wings including the Civil Service were operating normally and that there was no cause for apprehension.

‘’The Central Bank continues to be fully in charge of the monetary policy whilst the Secretary to the Treasury is overseeing the fiscal policy side of the economy,’’ Mr Chanda said.

He said the President-elect did not have executive powers until the substantive Head of State handed over power and that President Lungu was discharging the functions of the Presidency in consultations with the President–elect.

“There is not power vacuum because all institutions of governance including the presidency are operating. President Lungu is the incumbent who is also the President-elect. President Lungu is waiting to hand over power to the President-elect but at the same time, while the President-elect has no executive powers,

“President-elect Lungu is working in consultations with the incumbent to make certain decisions. So there is no power vacuum as is being insinuated by some opposition because President Lungu as the incumbent is fully discharging the functions of the presidency,” said Mr Chanda

And Mr Chanda said President Lungu was deeply disappointed with the continued comments on the Constitutional Court which was currently handling Hakainde Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba’s petition to nullify the election of the Head of State.

Mr Chanda said President Lungu felt that it was unacceptable for the opposition political parties and other people to put undue pressure on the Constitutional Court and the entire process of the petition.

He said it was the desire of President Lungu that all political parties including the governing party to desist from commenting on the Constitutional Court and the petition process because some comments were putting undue pressure on the court.

Mr Chanda said President Lungu was determined to abide by the decision of the Constitutional Court and that it was his expectation that other political leaders would accept and respect the verdict of the court.